Is technology replacing Idaho teachers?
Technology is not replacing teachers. The Students Come First plan focuses on building highly effective teachers in every classroom and principals in every building, not replacing them. To help accomplish this, the state will provide advanced technology in every classroom to aid Idaho teachers as they create the 21st Century Classroom and use instructional time more efficiently. Research shows that computer-based learning is effective. Students gain more knowledge through computer-based learning in the classroom, compared to the traditional classroom setting. All funding for advanced classroom technology and mobile computing devices will include the necessary professional development for teachers on how to integrate this technology in the classroom. Technology will in no way replace teachers in our classrooms. The new investment in technology will replace things like chalk, beat-up whiteboards, overhead projectors and worn out textbooks.
Will parents have to bear the burden of funding tech support, maintenance and repair of the mobile computing devices?
All tech support, security, maintenance, repairs and replacements of the mobile computing devices will be covered by the state to ensure every student has access to the laptop for the full four years. The state of Idaho will negotiate a contract at the state level for maximum cost savings and efficiency. It will not cost parents or the local school district additional dollars. Local school districts will have the flexibility to institute policies on how students can use the mobile computing devices on a day-to-day basis, whether they can take them home, check them out, or only use them in classroom settings, for examples.
Will Students Come First cost property taxpayers more?
No local property taxes are used to determine state payments to K-12 public schools. Funding for education was shifted from property tax revenue in the special session of 2006.
Will the Students Come First plan put school accreditation at risk?
Nothing in the Students Come First plan puts a school’s accreditation at risk.
Where do parent evaluations fit into pay for performance?
Teacher evaluations are not tied to the pay-for-performance plan. Beginning in Fall 2012, parent input will be considered in all teacher evaluations. Local districts will determine how to gather parent input and how it is considered in the evaluation process. However, no part of the evaluation will be tied to pay-for-performance bonuses.
What security measures will be taken to ensure students cannot access inappropriate content on the mobile computing devices?
Every mobile computing device will be embedded with Child Internet Protection Act (CIPA) compliant filtering software. This is already required of computers currently in schools and will be no different for the mobile computing devices. In addition, we know that thousands of school districts and the state of Maine have successfully implemented a one-to-one ratio in public schools and ensured all the necessary security is in place.
How will merit pay be determined for elective teachers (PTE, Tech Ed., Music, etc) that have no form of standardized testing?
Every teacher will have the opportunity to earn pay-for-performance. Pay-for-performance for student achievement will be based on student academic growth on a schoolwide basis so that all the teachers in the school, including the PTE, Tech Ed, music, art, special education, choir and art teachers, receive bonuses for the work they do to raise student achievement. The bonuses will not go down to the individual classroom level to encourage collaboration and teamwork among teachers in the same school. In addition, teachers can earn bonuses for working in hard-to-fill areas, such as math or special education, or taking on leadership roles and responsibilities, such as developing curriculum or mentoring new teachers. The local school boards will determine the hard-to-fill positions and leadership duties that will be rewarded.
If student achievement is measured at the school level, how will that affect schools with students with learning disabilities or students who struggle for whatever reason?
The pay-for-performance plan focuses on rewarding academic growth in schools year over year. The schools that usually show the most growth are those schools with students who have been struggling academically, because those students have the most room to grow.
Will students be allowed to take the mobile computing devices home?
The mobile computing devices will be used in the classroom with the teacher. Districts will develop local usage policies that determine whether or not students can take the devices home or only use them while at school.
Does the Students Come First plan encourage local school districts to lay off more experienced, more expensive teachers to hire less experienced teachers?
No. Local school districts receive no financial incentive for hiring less experience teachers. The state reimburses local school districts based on a teacher’s experience and education. Therefore, if a district chooses to hire a less experienced teacher, that district will receive less money from the state.
